Society formed to help public better understand nuclear energy, combat misinformation

A new society has been set up to help the public better understand nuclear energy as the Government assesses whether to adopt this cleaner energy source — a potentially polarising issue.

Nuclear energy is a socially charged topic marked by a gap in general nuclear knowledge and awareness here, said Matthew Chew, president of the Nuclear Learning & Understanding Society (NUCLEUS), which is a ground-up initiative that was formed in September.

"For Singapore in particular, nuclear will be a sensitive topic. A lot of people like the idea of nuclear until you ask them how they feel if it's close to their backyards, and then all of a sudden, they're not really sure," he told The Straits Times in an interview on Oct 7.

One topic that often draws attention is the management of nuclear or radioactive waste, said Chew, a consultant who has a master's degree in nuclear science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Addressing the misconception that such waste is difficult to manage and people may be inadvertently exposed to excessive radiation, Chew clarified that there is a proper way to store it, such as through land-based dry casks or deep underground geological storage, to ensure that the radiation does not reach humans and the environment.

According to a 2023 study by the Singapore authorities and a Swedish company, there are no major technical roadblocks to storing the Republic's nuclear waste, possibly deep underground, if the country decides to adopt nuclear energy.

However, as the findings were based on a desktop study, which does not include on-site investigations, future surveys will be needed to make a comprehensive assessment.

Other topics that are often raised include nuclear safety, the location of nuclear power plants as well as careers in the nuclear field, Chew said.

NUCLEUS currently has 10 members, and has met twice since its formation to discuss its objectives and mission.

The society hopes to host a variety of events for members of the public, including seminars, workshops and networking events, as well as give talks in schools.

It is looking to hold its first networking event in November.

Through such events, NUCLEUS hopes to share general knowledge about nuclear energy, including its science and engineering, and help people understand why governments are considering adopting it, as well as why they need to take certain steps before deciding whether to deploy it.

Chew said: "It is really to provide the public with a way to learn about nuclear energy and allow them to ask the questions that they have in a non-judgmental space, because there is no wrong question.

"The society is very clear that its role is not to advocate for or advise the Government on nuclear as an option for Singapore."

The other nuclear observers who have joined Chew on the society's committee are business development manager Brendan Tan; senior scientist Rowinski Marcin, who holds a PhD in nuclear engineering; and automation company managing director Nicola Scarpelli, who has a master's degree in energy and nuclear engineering.

As the only committee member without a nuclear engineering or science background, Tan hopes to bring a layman's perspective to the table.

"In a room filled with engineers, sometimes the topic can dive too deeply into a rabbit hole, and that's where I try to steer the conversation back to what it means in practice," said Tan, who works at an energy technology company.

"I always try to put myself in the position of what a member of the public would think and ask. If the society is made up of only engineers, it could end up talking to itself, like an echo chamber."

With his background in the finance sector, he hopes to help people understand how nuclear plants, especially those using advanced nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), can be financed.

SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that are thought to be more suitable for the land-scarce, population-dense city-state, as they have a lower power capacity, enhanced safety standards and require much smaller buffer zones than conventional reactors.

Tan said: "It's an evolving space and everybody is learning the commercial and financial aspects of SMRs. So for me, at least, it's about engaging with people, learning together and hopefully building up an ecosystem that's ready if Singapore decides to deploy SMRs in future."

For more information, contact the society at nucleus-sg@outlook.com.

政府正在评估是否采用核能这种更清洁的能源——这是一个可能引发争议的问题——为此，一个新的协会成立，旨在帮助公众更好地了解核能。

核能学习与理解协会（NUCLEUS）主席马修·丘表示，核能是一个具有社会争议性的话题，这里普遍缺乏核能知识和意识。NUCLEUS 是一个自下而上的倡议组织，成立于 9 月。

“对新加坡来说，核能尤其是一个敏感话题。很多人喜欢核能的想法，但当你问他们如果核电站建在自家附近会有什么感受时，他们突然就不确定了。”他在10月7日接受《海峡时报》采访时表示。

拥有麻省理工学院核科学与工程硕士学位的顾问丘表示，核废料或放射性废料的管理是一个经常引起关注的话题。

针对人们误以为此类废物难以管理，且人们可能会无意中接触到过量辐射的观念，周先生澄清说，有适当的储存方法，例如通过陆上干式容器或深层地下地质储存，以确保辐射不会到达人类和环境。

根据新加坡当局和一家瑞典公司在 2023 年进行的一项研究，如果新加坡决定采用核能，那么将该国的核废料储存起来（可能深埋地下）不存在重大的技术障碍。

然而，由于这些发现是基于案头研究，不包括现场调查，因此需要进行未来的调查才能做出全面的评估。

丘表示，其他经常被提及的话题包括核安全、核电站的选址以及核领域的职业发展。

NUCLEUS 目前有 10 名成员，自成立以来已召开过两次会议，讨论其目标和使命。

该协会希望为公众举办各种活动，包括研讨会、工作坊和社交活动，以及在学校进行讲座。

它计划于11月举办首次交流活动。

通过此类活动，NUCLEUS 希望分享有关核能的一般知识，包括其科学和工程，并帮助人们了解为什么各国政府正在考虑采用核能，以及为什么在决定是否部署核能之前需要采取某些步骤。

周先生说：“这确实是为了向公众提供一种了解核能的方式，让他们可以在一个不受评判的环境中提出自己的问题，因为没有错误的问题。”

“该协会非常明确地表示，其职责不是倡导或建议政府将核能作为新加坡的选项。”

与周先生一同加入该协会委员会的其他核能观察员还有：业务发展经理 Brendan Tan；拥有核工程博士学位的资深科学家 Rowinski Marcin；以及拥有能源与核工程硕士学位的自动化公司总经理 Nicola Scarpelli。

作为委员会中唯一一位没有核工程或科学背景的成员，谭希望能够为委员会带来一个外行人的视角。

“在一个满是工程师的房间里，有时话题会钻牛角尖，陷入无尽的讨论，这时我就会努力把谈话引回实际意义上来，”在一家能源技术公司工作的谭说道。

“我总是试着站在普通民众的角度去思考和提问。如果一个社会只由工程师组成，最终可能会变成一个自说自话的回音室。”

凭借其在金融领域的背景，他希望帮助人们了解如何为核电站，特别是那些使用小型模块化反应堆（SMR）等先进核技术的核电站进行融资。

小型模块化反应堆是先进的核反应堆，由于其发电量较低、安全标准较高，且所需的缓冲区比传统反应堆小得多，因此被认为更适合土地稀缺、人口稠密的城市国家。

谭先生表示：“这是一个不断发展的领域，每个人都在学习小型模块化反应堆的商业和财务方面知识。所以至少对我来说，重要的是与大家交流，共同学习，并希望能够建立一个生态系统，以便在新加坡未来决定部署小型模块化反应堆时做好准备。”

如需了解更多信息，请联系该协会，邮箱地址为 nucleus-sg@outlook.com。